Some flowering plants are getting a bit confused by the warm Iowa December and their buds are bursting out in full bloom. Richard Jauron, an I-S-U Extension horticulturist, says there are -not- widespread reports of blooms so most plants should make it through winter, when it arrives as they’re used to warm and cold spells.Many Iowa cities recorded the warmest November on record. At this time last year, some parts of Iowa had already seen more than ten snowstorms. Jauron says the unseasonable warmth -can- damage some plants by leaving them vulnerable, and he says there’s little homeowners can do to save them.Jauron says the weather fluctuations of the next several days will be key in determining the survival of many plants. He says it suddenly turns cold, then plants could be damaged, but a gradual cold should be no problem.He says plants that are blooming now likely will -not- bloom in the spring. Exceptions include those plants that are bred to bloom now, like the Christmas cactus and poinsettia.
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